Apple has released iOS 17.5.1, a new software update that all iPhone and iPad users should install immediately.
The new update aims to fix a recently discovered issue that caused deleted photos to reappear in the Photos app.
The situation was so serious that users reported that photos they deleted years ago reappeared on their phones and even on devices they sold. Imagine selling your phone to upgrade, and the person who buys it from you can see your old photos. It’s really scary!
Fortunately, Apple has fixed the problem with a new update. But what if there are second buyers who don’t want to update the device? After all, most users argue that software updates slow down iPhones or iPads, so they might not want to update.
iOS 17.5.1 released: Fixes the issue of old photos showing up
With the new update, Apple says it has addressed the issue where “photos that have experienced database corruption can reappear in the Photos library, even if they have been deleted”. However, the company declined to elaborate on what caused the bug and how it was resolved.
Obviously, I wonder how Apple stores photo data. Does it actually delete users’ deleted data? Or is it stored somewhere in the company? It’s really a big mystery! But if this is the case, it could be a problem for many users.
Privacy-conscious Apple needs to address privacy concerns
It is unclear how widespread the bug is and what kind of data it affects. Some users are reporting that deleted voicemails are also reappearing. After seeing this, I decided to take a look at my own voice recordings, and yes, I found the same problem. Voice recordings I recorded in 2022 but deleted are back on my phone! Below you can see the screenshot:
Apple needs to explain how this bug occurred, how it resolved it, and what measures it is taking to prevent it from happening again.
The company’s silence has raised the concerns of users, including me. In short, they must ensure that such a mistake will not happen again.
It goes without saying how important privacy is today. So a company like Apple needs to be more sensitive. We hope the company will make a statement about the error immediately.
Featured image credit: Foundry / Unsplash
